H.T.’s Corner

Rose DesRochers of “Today’s Writing”
Interviews H. Thomas Saylor

When did you first become interested in writing and poetry?
As a youngster writing was something that came easier for me than for many of my classmates. I think it was because my mother loved to read, and she was a real stickler for spelling, punctuation and grammar. She always took time to quiz me on all of my homework, and we always spent extra time on English.
I remember winning a couple of school writing contests. As a child when you do well at something and get recognition, it helps build your confidence. I remember starting to craft little paragraphs and stories just for the fun of it. As far as my interests in poetry, there was this storyteller that would come to our grade school once a year and recite poems. With her raspy voice and exaggerated facial expressions she had this way of making the poems and stories come to life. I loved it, and in my mind these many (too many to mention) years later can still picture her face and hear her voice.

In regards to your writing, have you had a mentor?
Other than the guidance and encouragement from my mother, I really can’t say I have had a mentor as such, but there have been two other people that have been influential. One of those was my aunt. My dad passed away when I was about 10 years old. To help out, my Aunt Agnes spent a lot of time with us in the years that followed, and she was a master at storytelling. In the summer, we would sit on the front porch, and she would tell us stories about the family and we couldn’t get enough.

Believe it or not the other big influence on me was my high school football coach and physical education teacher. At the time he was one of the toughest guys I had ever met. We called him the Bear. As time went by I discovered he was indeed tough, but he was also a man of principles, conviction and heart. Our school didn’t have a regular gymnasium at the time, so when the weather was bad we had to stay indoors. Sometimes coach would read poetry to us or tell us stories. It usually had something to do with sports, but he showed me that being a strong man and enjoying storytelling and literature were not mutually exclusive.

Tell us about your book I Need You to Know and where you were in your writing career when you wrote this.
I’ve always wanted to write a book. It’s one of those things many of us think and talk about but never get around to. When I decided to leave the corporate scene in 2002, it afforded me time to take on some of the things on my personal “to do” list including writing and publishing a book.

They tell you to write about what you know. My career had been in the communications field, so I tried to draw on that experience. In corporate communications my time was spent helping the company and its leaders communicate with their audiences… employees, dealers, suppliers, the media and the public. I loved the automotive business, but wanted to write about something different. I decided to shift gears and go from corporate communications to romantic communications.

Now business communication is certainly not the same as romantic communication, but in many ways there are great similarities. In both cases you need to know your audience. You need to know your communication objectives, and you have to identify your key messages. You have to build trust and respect with your reader to be heard and to be effective.

Many of the selections in I Need You to Know were actually written over a 10 year period. I had started writing short romantic messages with the thought of one day creating a line of greeting cards. I assembled the poems and romantic expressions I had penned and realized that with a little additional work there was probably enough material to publish my first book. About one year later I Need You to Know went to press.

What writers and poets have influenced you throughout life?
I can’t say I have been influenced by any one writer or poet more than another. As they say “variety is the spice of life.” Both in literature and music I enjoy a variety of works and tend to move from one artist or genre to another depending on my mood and circumstance. That said, growing up on Mark Twain Street I couldn’t help but be influenced to some degree by his works. I think too, the fact that I always thought it cool for writers like Samuel Langhorne Clemens to have a pen name had an impact on my interest in someday becoming a writer.

Can you tell us briefly what your latest book, When One Door Closes, is all about?
When One Door Closes is the true story of a teen, a tragedy and a selfless wish that has touched the hearts of thousands around the world. One early fall day Alexandra (Alex) Graham came home from the mall complaining of pain in her knee. Three months later, at the age of 16, she was diagnosed with bone cancer. Her world and the world of those she loved would never be the same. Fighting osteogenic sarcoma, amputation of her leg and partial loss of lung Alex defines herself by who she is and the choices she makes, not by her illness. Over the course of a year, Alex did not get the miracle she wanted most, but her life and her selfless wish left the world a better place.

While the book is about facing a life threatening illness, it is intended for anyone facing a difficult life challenge or tragedy either personally or as a relative or friend of someone who is. It is written in a format reminiscent of the popular “Chicken Soup” series, and describes constructive ways to deal with adversity and loss. Through Alex’s story and inspirational quotes, readers discover ways to confront adversity, avoid needless guilt, live life with meaning, and bring comfort and inspiration to others.

How long did it take you to write your books?
As mentioned earlier, many of the elements of I Need You to Know were written over the course of many years. Once I decided to assemble and expand them into a book, it took about 18 months. When One Door Closes took about three years from start to finish. The most time consuming part of writing the book was in the research and documentation phase. It required approximately 100 face-to-face interviews and generated over 4000 pages of transcripts.

What have you learned about the publishing world?
I’ve learned that it is like many other aspirations in life. If you don’t start the race you will never cross the finish line. If you can’t run the entire course take a step at a time. Each step moves you closer to you goal.

Publishing is a big and complicated business, so it is easy to become discouraged. The good news is that technology has greatly improved opportunities to be published and market your work. Each year over 50,000 books are published by first time authors, so it is also important to set realistic goals. Don’t expect large retainers to show up in your mailbox or for your first effort to be recommended by Oprah. Define what success will look like for you and go for it.

Do you think there is a market for poetry?
Certainly there is a market for poetry, but like any genre it is important to know the unique ins and outs of connecting with the right kind of publisher, finding your readers and selling books. I do believe it is more difficult to find an interested publisher for poetry that for most other types of books. That’s why I think many poets write first for themselves… for the joy of creative expression. That’s also why I believe sharing and distribution channels such as TODAY’S WRITING are so important to encouraging and developing poets.

What is next for you in your writing career?
I began a novel with the working title Three Days in December shortly before becoming involved in the project to tell the Alex Graham story. Writing any book is time consuming, especially all the time spent on publishing and marketing. I had to set my novel aside while I worked on When One Door Closes, but now that it is finished I hope to complete my romance novel this year.

Do you have any words of inspiration for other writers who would like to publish a book?
Persist. Persist. Persist. In all honesty it is very difficult for a first time author to gain the attention of a major publisher, but don’t give up and don’t rule out small independent publishers or the possibility of self-publishing. In the meantime work on your craft, refine your manuscript, educate yourself about the publishing world and consider an agent that specializes in your genre.

Thank you for this interview, Hal. Please tell readers where they can find out more about your books?
I appreciate your interest in my work and the opportunity to share my thoughts. Thank you so much. You can find out a bit more about me and my books by visiting hthomassaylor.com and alexswish.com. My books are available to purchase at BarnesandNoble.com and Amazon.com.
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About the Author: Rose DesRochers is a published poet and freelance writer. Rose has been writing poetry for more than 20 years. She is also the founder of http://www.todayswriting.com, a supportive online writing community

A TRUE LOVE STORY

March 17, 2005

Harry was the captain of the high school football team. He was handsome and well respected on campus. Dorothy was a bit younger, an all A student and a bit on the reserved side. She was a looker, but, because of her shyness and humility, she kept pretty much to herself. That didn’t keep her from noticing that the boys, particularly Harry, noticed her. She liked that. She liked that a lot. Their families lived nearby, and it was through church and school Dorothy and Harry first got to know each other. In the beginning they were just friends, but as time went by, the spark of love could not be denied.

In 1931 Harry left Michigan to attend school at Valparaiso University in Indiana. While he was away, he could not keep thoughts of Dorothy from his mind. At home, Dorothy continued her studies and looked forward to the summers when Harry was back in town. In 1935, he became the first in his family to earn a college degree. During school months, the exchange of romantic letters and love poems kept the U.S. mail busy. Not long after, he asked Dorothy for her hand in marriage and soon they were wed.

They were head over heels in love. Their marriage and life were filled with the typical bumps in the road, but both Harry and Dorothy were hard working and resourceful. He landed a decent job, and soon they owned their own home and were the proud parents of two beautiful girls. In 1950, their third child, a son, was born. Harry was ecstatic and, anticipating an All American in the family, bought “Little Harold” a football while he was still a tiny baby.

The love Dorothy and Harry shared was boundless. Life was good. All they had ever hoped for was coming true. Then without warning, at the young age of 45, Harry suffered a crippling heart attack. Their world was turned upside down. The pain and discomfort Harry experienced was more than a man should endure. Even after months of hospitalization and ongoing medication, he was unable to run and play with the children as he once did. His dream of personally teaching his son to be that all-star football player was fading and fading fast. Two years later, a second massive heart attack took Harry’s life. Dorothy’s one true love was suddenly gone. Her broken heart would never heal, and the children would never know the joys and experiences with their dad that might have been. As for Dorothy, Harry was her one and only, and she would never love another. It was her faith and the love for her family that kept her going.

That’s not the way readers of romance novels want the story to end. Unfortunately today, that ending, even with all of our medical advances is still far too common. According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular diseases rank as America’s No.1 killer, claiming the lives of nearly 38 percent of the more than 2.4 million Americans who die each year. An astounding 70.1 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease!

Being an author who writes about matters of the heart and the son of Harry and Dorothy, I now have a unique opportunity and the personal motivation to make a difference. In the months and years ahead, I will be teaming with the American Heart Association to spread the word on what we can do to prevent heart disease and stroke, and I will help to raise funds for further research. I encourage you to visit www.AmericanHeart.org and learn more about the role you too can play. Check out, “You Are the Cure!”

By the way, “Little Harold” did get a chance to play high school and a little college football. What about Dorothy, you ask? Well, after my father died, mom put all her energy into making a modest living and raising her three children. She never dated, much less married again. Last month, she celebrated her 89th birthday. To this day, a picture of Harry sits on her nightstand. It is usually the first thing she sees in the morning and the last as she drifts off to sleep at night. Her dreams are of spending eternity with him. Now that is a true love story.

Wishing you love, romance, health and happiness,

H.T.

In memory of
Harry     February 7, 1912 – January 26, 1962
Dorothy     February 21, 1916- December 1, 2006